1151——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I descended straight to the ground and thought.

“If it’s simply a matter of power… it would be right to summon the Heavenly Demon Sagong Lin to face Xiang Yu.”

The reason Sagong Lin hadn’t participated in the Celestial Exploration Team until now remained unknown. However, it could be assumed that her identity as the Heavenly Demon made the upper echelons of the Celestial Realm somewhat uncomfortable, and she likely had issues fulfilling her role in maintaining balance on Earth before directly jumping into the expedition. Could there be issues related to the Law of Cause and Effect as well?

Nonetheless, with the Heavenly Demon’s power, she should be able to adequately confront Xiang Yu. In fact, her strength seemed limitless, just like Xiang Yu’s. Normally, this risky maneuver wouldn’t have been taken due to the fact that Sagong Lin might inadvertently be manipulated by the Emperor, but at that moment, I felt liberated from all restrictions.

“After all, I’m supposed to die tomorrow, so what’s the worry?”

No matter what tricks the Emperor pulled, once I started my next rebirth, what would such schemes even matter? With that thought, I felt like I could freely utilize Sagong Lin’s power.

“Hmm. But still, it’s best to consult Asura and Cheon Woo-jin first.”

Crack

I went to Asura and handed over the obsidian. Asura accepted it, looking completely dazed.

“…What the hell is this? What are you doing to get into such a mess?”

The confusion written all over his face was unmistakable. Feeling somewhat guilty, I scratched my head and said,

“Sorry… it just turned out that I have to eliminate Xiang Yu by tomorrow.”

At that, Asura slapped himself on the chest in genuine frustration.

“That’s not the issue. You don’t even grasp the core of the situation.”

“……?”

“Ugh… no, let’s think this through for a moment.”

Asura sighed and sat down on the steps of the nearby divine temple, seemingly meditating. After a while, he opened his eyes and said,

“Baek Woong, why didn’t you just flee?”

“What?”

“When you faced Xiang Yu, the initial strategy was to use Yu Ji to surprise and negotiate with him. But clearly that strategy didn’t work. If you realized that talking to Xiang Yu was futile, you should’ve gathered your companions and retreated immediately. Why didn’t you do that?”

“…….”

“I know. You thought that with the formidable Hou Yi on your side, if you united forces with your companions, you could somehow defeat even Xiang Yu. However, without a proper strategy to combine your powers with Hou Yi, he viewed you as a hindrance and excluded you from the battle with the warrior.”

“I… I see.”

“Do you understand what the key point is here?”

I wasn’t quite grasping Asura’s words and tilted my head.

“Was not fleeing quickly the mistake…?”

“No. That’s just the result. The important thing is that you relied on external power rather than believing in your own abilities.”

“What?”

“You depended too much on Hou Yi. Hou Yi is merely a piece on the board. Ultimately, it is your own skills, as a Reborn Person, that could settle things with Xiang Yu. Because you forgot that, when the sudden battle arose, you made a grave blunder.”

“…….”

“No matter how strong your companion is, in the end, it’s not your own strength. You must believe in your own power at critical moments, Baek Woong. That power could be your martial skills, your words, or even clever deceit – it’s all yours in the end.”

I had a realization from his words.

‘So that’s it…!!’

If I had aimed to deal with Xiang Yu with my own strength from the beginning, I would have withdrawn as soon as negotiations failed. That way, I could have conserved energy for the fight. However, because I had relied on Hou Yi’s strength, I couldn’t make a cool-headed judgment and made a mistake.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hmm. As long as you’ve realized, that’s what matters. Just do better next time.”

Asura made a strange expression and said,

“I want to help you and fight Xiang Yu immediately, but it seems this isn’t something I can judge so easily. Let’s call Cheon Woo-jin and discuss it.”

“Call him and discuss? How?”

“Do you think I had to go to the Great Bear Empire’s heart each time to meet Cheon Woo-jin? Of course, I could summon him from here. I used a similar method when we first met.”

Whew

Asura pulled out a round, peculiar-looking device he had hidden in the divine temple and pressed a button. Suddenly, a hologram appeared in the air, projecting something.

Whooo….

Crack!

Moments later, Cheon Woo-jin’s translucent holographic form appeared. When I stared in surprise, Asura muttered,

“Cheon Woo-jin dominates a key part of the global psychic world. After Mephistopheles’s demise, he gained even more influence. He can appear instantly using psychic signals as long as he knows of our presence. Just a bit of electronic gadgetry is needed…”

Cheon Woo-jin, carrying a raccoon doll, said,

[What’s going on?]

Asura spoke up.

“Cheon Woo-jin, have you been able to observe any events in the Celestial Realm during this time?”

[No. I couldn’t know about events in such a distant dimension.]

“Then we have no choice but to transmit memories through Baek Woong’s obsidian. Do you have a way to receive that obsidian?”

[You mean transmission technology used by the Great Race? I’ll try to create an adapter to accept it.]

Whirrrrr

In the next moment, light began to gather in thin air, and with a swish sound, a complex machinery materialized. The machines quickly assembled as if they were alive, matching their connection points, and eventually morphed into a swirling mass of liquid metal. After about half a moment, a round, black machine resembling a philosopher’s stone appeared.

[You just need to lift it.]

“…How can you create something like this out of nowhere in an empty divine temple?”

[Quantum Craft makes such things possible.]

I couldn’t help but feel once more how incredible Cheon Woo-jin was. I carefully placed my memories into the obsidian, and soon, Cheon Woo-jin’s hologram trembled. Hugging the raccoon doll, he suddenly blushed and exclaimed,

[How could you be so dense! How can you keep getting caught off guard like this?! Is your brain made of udon noodles?!]

Huh? What did this guy just say?

Cheon Woo-jin soon returned to his usual cold expression.

[The probability that Master Mangnyang’s advice is correct is 98.65%. I am currently formulating a plan to abandon the trial by Xiang Yu and gain maximum profit in one day, so please wait.]

“Wait a second. I have no intention of giving up on facing Xiang Yu.”

[After meeting with Xiang Yu, if Nüwa and Fuxi can’t find a way to save you, what will you do? You’ll only be walking into a trap.]

“But it’s just too unfair to end it this way. What will happen to the Sword Demon and my companions? It would all be pointless death.”

In that instant, Cheon Woo-jin’s expression turned slightly angry.

[That pointless death was caused by you. They risked their lives for your great desire. Why are you trying to shoulder all the weight alone, like a madman?]

“…….”

[You ignored Zhuge Sa’s advice not to force yourself to pretend to be sad again.]

Suddenly, I had no words. As I fell silent, Cheon Woo-jin then said,

[The probability of you leading Sagong Lin, Cheon Woo-jin, Asura, and all your power to defeat Xiang Yu is about 89%. However, the moment you do that, the chances of overcoming ‘tomorrow’s death’ drop to zero. Even if you somehow victory over Xiang Yu by exhausting all variables and possibilities, there’ll be nothing left for you.]

“…Is that so?”

[But considering your habitual tendencies, the chance that you’ll ignore our advice and push ahead as you wish is over 90%… If you really want to do that, go ahead.]

Cheon Woo-jin’s expression changed to one of pessimism.

[If you’re going to do it, be sure to do it. There’s currently no way to achieve both ‘defeating Xiang Yu’ and ‘overcoming tomorrow’s death’ simultaneously. Based on probabilities, if it were originally around 50%, the chances dropped to zero due to Master Mangnyang and Jin So-cheong.]

“…Hmm.”

I thought it over carefully. Then I said,

“So there’s a way to overcome ‘tomorrow’s death’ existing, right?”

[You’ve gotten somewhat calm.]

“If I don’t die tomorrow, there’s bound to be a way to catch Xiang Yu over time. If not, I’d still have a lot to do.”

And I wasn’t foolish enough to keep pushing forward even against my companions’ objections. Even if the Sword Demon’s death weighed heavily on my heart, I felt a little more composed now.

As I responded, Cheon Woo-jin remarked,

[The best plan I can suggest for you right now is to seek out the Prophet.]

“The Prophet!”

[Thanks to the prophecy of the Four Great Spirit Deity Eungui, if the cause of death has been set upon you, a transcendent-level prophet is likely to possess knowledge to overcome it. It is more realistic than just whining at Sagong Lin to take down Xiang Yu.]

“Alright. I’ll do that!”

I nodded, and then suddenly thought to ask,

“By the way, I think Mangnyang might have come down to Earth. Where on earth could he be? Can you use your power to locate him?”

[Just a moment.]

Whooo –

Cheon Woo-jin raised the raccoon doll by its armpits, and his entire body glowed. A moment later, he said,

[Currently, there is no trace or eyewitness record of Mangnyang in any of Earth’s databases or digital records. I assume he’s hiding somewhere, using some technique.]

“…Why is he doing that?”

[He’ll keep looking for Mangnyang until you return. Hurry back.]

“Sure thing.”

Crack!

I headed to the Prophet in Astana. Upon entering the Great Temple, the Prophet was indeed waiting for me. The moment he saw me, he said,

[What brings you here again?]

“I’m grateful for your help against Kalbiog. But today, I have another request…”

[Our relationship isn’t quite intimate enough for you to use the word ‘request’…. Isn’t that right?]

With no choice, I raised my hands in surrender.

“Alright, Prophet, it’s a deal.”

[Heh heh heh… Let’s hear it.]

“Hmm. To understand the situation first…”

At that moment, the Prophet suddenly interjected.

[Wait a moment… I get a suspicious feeling… Let me properly check your cause and effect….]

“What?”

I hadn’t even given him the obsidian, so what was he talking about?

[This time, it’s free of charge.]

The Prophet said before beginning to chant a long incantation.

Murmer murmer

I didn’t quite understand, but it seemed to be a significant incantation. The Prophet had never shown anyone a chant before, so the fact that he deliberately recited something so lengthy was telling. The chant continued for over half a moment, and just as I began to get bored waiting, it finally concluded.

[Oh, door of the Outer God Al Karda, show me the Great Cycle!]

Clink!

Suddenly, a form on the size of a building appeared behind the Prophet, resembling a bizarre alien device. Something like a vast celestial sphere floated incessantly, with grotesque hundreds of eyes watching over us. The alien device projected a round egg-like object before the Prophet, who gazed at it while nodding as if calculating something.

Moments later, the Prophet spoke.

[Baek Woong… The cause and effect manifesting in you has been completely exhausted. Did you know that?]

“Huh?! Well, it felt like it was running out…”

Wait a sec, does that mean that Eungui’s favor towards me wasn’t because of the directional cause and effect?

While I was taken aback by this surprising fact, the Prophet continued,

[Indeed… the fate of death…. And the ‘knot’ of the Great Cycle is tied. To comprehend a cycle that can only be grasped by consuming the sealing techniques, simply witnessing it—that is precisely where Master Mangnyang resides… hee hee hee….]

The Prophet seemed to be delighting in his own words. While I stared at him in confusion as to why he was acting like that, the Prophet said,

[I’ve grasped the situation. So what transaction do you wish to propose, Baek Woong?]

“…….”

Damn it. This guy casually offering something for free was actually scoping out to gain an advantage in the deal by assessing my status first!

‘But still, it’s fortunate I found out the directional cause and effect had been exhausted….’

I reluctantly said to the Prophet,

“…You don’t need to give me the obsidian. As you can see, I’m in a bit of a pickle at the moment.”

[And?]

“I’m not looking to defeat Xiang Yu. Just tell me how to evade ‘tomorrow’s death’ first!”

Honestly, when I heard the prophecy from Eungui, I should have done this instead of forcing myself to confront the next layer, right? Regret washed over me belatedly, but it was useless now. Then the Prophet replied,

[There is no way to evade it. The thread that binds filia and destiny is different from the fate imposed on mortals…. If you insist on evading it, one traditional method of human sacrifice is to offer one precious person as a sacrifice, thereby extending your lifespan by a month for each one.]

“Are you out of your mind?! Do you really think I’d sacrifice my companions?”

As I leaped back in shock, the Prophet chuckled.

[Heh heh heh…]

“……?”

[I know one very important fact… An extremely favorable fact for you.]

“So what?”

[You’ll have the Four Great Spirit Deities, right?]

The Prophet continued,

[If you give me just one of those, then I can help you defeat Xiang Yu and overcome your demise….]

“…….”

[Now that’s some high-stakes information….]

What do I do?

I knew I had one last piece of the Four Great Spirit Deities left. But I had saved that for the fight against Xiang Yu. It was certainly an irreplaceable existence should I use it in a deal with the Prophet.

“Hmm, that might be…”

[Heh heh… Then, let’s trade for one of your Fragment of Dharma Technique….]

“You thief! You’ve got no scruples, do you?!”

[Are you going to agree or not? What did you come here for?]

After a moment, the Prophet seemed to lean slightly towards being generous.

[Fine…. Then just two pieces of the Seven Luminaries will suffice….]

“…….”

[Looks like I’m the only one losing out here…]

I sensed something. Then, I spoke in a blunt voice.

“No, the Four Great Spirit Deities are off-limits! Ask for something else instead.”

[Then…. Give me the Fragment of Dharma Technique….]

“Are you kidding me? You’re trying to steal from me at this point?!”

[Will you trade or not? What are you here for?]

The Prophet said after another moment, expressing something like goodwill.

[Fine, then just give me two pieces of the Seven Luminaries….]

“…….”

[Looks like I’m the one losing significantly….]

I was truly considering this. The feeling that this guy had been trying to take advantage of me from the start was persistent. But the conditions of negotiation had surely dropped. The attempt to rip me off was likely the truth. Yet whether I could be satisfied at this point was questionable.

‘If I push once more, he might not share this information again.’

His refusal to freely share information reflected a businesslike tenacity and stubbornness. It seemed he was pushing forth the idea of accepting future guarantees in exchange for present goods. After deliberating, I finally said,

“…70-30.”

[What? How could you demand so much for good information….]

“…80-20.”

[Ah, fine. Let’s go with that….]

“If you say something stupid again, I’ll really cut off the trade.”

[Of course…. The contract has now been established.]

“Now, tell me the information.”

[On it.]

And thus, the Prophet said,

[The ‘knot’ and ‘prophecy’ assigned to you are interconnected. They aren’t unrelated. That means resolving one will naturally untie the other… However, whether it’s beneficial to untie it directly is something you’ll have to ponder yourself… because the knot was created specifically for you….]

“…….”

[…….]

What the heck does that mean…?

“So? What should I do?”

[Do as you feel like until you die…]

“Bastard…!! Are you just going to keep trying to cheat me?!”

It turns out he really was trying to con me!

As I exploded in anger, the Prophet seemed greatly startled.

[What the…!! I’m not cheating! This is genuinely good information….]

“Shut up! I’m really not going to trade with you anymore!”

[Huh…. What a foolish… I figured you wouldn’t get it so easily…!]

The Prophet seemed to panic, and his tentacles fluttered about wildly. However, after regaining his composure, he stated,

[Okay! Then I’ll give you a hint…. Solve the Trial of the ‘Clock’ first.]

“What?”

[The ‘Clock’ will be a huge help…. That’s it for now!!]

Crack!

The Prophet vanished. I stood there blankly before pressing my temple.

“What the hell is this about? A clock? What the….?”

That moment, something clicked in my mind.

Clock.

‘Dr. Faust’s Golden Pocket Watch, the Hidden Piece!’

Is he referring to that? Is he suggesting that solving the riddle of the clock might help me resolve this tricky situation?

‘Hmm, it doesn’t seem like false information….’

I shared the information I got from the Prophet with Cheon Woo-jin and Asura. Cheon Woo-jin looked at my memories and immediately said,

[Baek Woong, now is not the time to fear the threat to your life.]

“If so….”

Cheon Woo-jin said,

[Instantly summon Zhuge Mu-hu and borrow his power to decipher the secret of the Hidden Piece.]

“…….”

[This is your last chance. In the past, the threat to your life was significant, but you’ll have to take the risk.]

It was dark.

I realized the sun had already set beyond the horizon.

Now, there were less than three half moments left until ‘today’ ended.

Whew

I used the Heavenly Secret Technique to summon Zhuge Mu-hu. As soon as Zhuge Mu-hu appeared, he moved three needles and aligned them with 12 o’clock.

Crackle

Time froze, and bright light emerged to form a pure white portal. I spoke to Zhuge Mu-hu.

“Zhuge Mu-hu. Please come with me and help solve the riddle of this room.”

[This feels too sudden. What’s the situation?]

“It’s filled with a riddle of ‘Time’s Circuit.’ The principle of Time’s Circuit relates to the Eight Trigrams…”

[Oh, so it’s that knowledge. I’ve studied a bit before my past life, so it should be fine.]

“Do you know? It contains all the essence of Alchemy…”

[You go in first.]

Crack!

I entered alongside Zhuge Mu-hu. Once inside the room of the Hidden Piece’s internal clock, a barren scene unfolded before our eyes. The space was about a hundred pyeong filled with all kinds of clocks ticking away, while the golden pocket watch, the Hidden Piece, had grown to the size that required both arms to carry.

Tic toc tic toc

As Zhuge Mu-hu gazed silently at the situation ahead, I explained to him.

“As you can see, this pocket watch has seven hands that do not overlap. And the seventh hand symbolizes the ‘Kalpa.’”

[Oh, Kalpa?]

“Yes. However, no force seems to make these hands move, so it looks like we need to solve the riddle. We’ll need to move the clock hands somehow…”

[Interesting. Let’s wait and see.]

Zhuge Mu-hu examined all the clocks in the expanse for a while. After a good while, he finally spoke.

[From calculations, this represents a time of a leap month.]

“Wow! You figured it out? How?”

[All the clocks run in a way that points to a single time, as if intertwined by a formula. It’s impossible to create such an artistic arrangement without being versed in mathematics and physics. It seems this person also studied the Eight Trigrams, as hints of its mysteries lie within.]

Zhuge Mu-hu was impressed.

[The creator must be a great genius, akin to myself.]

“…….”

That was a bit of narcissism, but whatever, he’s a genius, so I’ll let it slide.

I tried to bring it back to the main point.

“Anyway… a leap month? What does that mean?”

[Pointing all seven clock hands to that one leap month means the riddle will be solved. Hand it over.]

Click click

“Oooh…!!”

It moves effortlessly, doesn’t it?!

When I tried, my Protective Energy Technique barely grazed it, and even with strength enough to overturn mountains, it wouldn’t budge!

While I was surprised, Zhuge Mu-hu said,

[Such riddles are solved not with brute force but with wit.]

Click clink

After adjusting the sixth clock hand to its correct position, Zhuge Mu-hu suddenly stopped moving.

“Why have you stopped?”

Zhuge Mu-hu stared at me and remarked,

[The leap month… it holds quite a significant meaning. Do you know what it symbolizes?]

“I don’t really know.”

[It’s also called the Hidden Moon. According to legend, during the leap month, the celestial deities withdraw their gaze from humans… Now, moving this hand means we will head towards some hidden place where the gods’ eyes do not reach. Considering this… perhaps you might be…?]

“…….”

[No way. Let’s adjust the last hand.]

Click!

But Zhuge Mu-hu couldn’t adjust the last hand.

[Hmmm.]

He looked hesitant and then handed me the pocket watch.

[You’ll have to memorize the order I solved it and do it yourself. I’ll tell you the position of the seventh hand, so move it accordingly.]

“Why can’t you do it?”

[… This riddle was created solely for you from the beginning.]

Zhuge Mu-hu had a strange expression.

[Only you may move the last hand…]

“…….”

What does that even mean for me to think right now?

However, I kind of get what Faust was thinking when he set it up this way.

Click click

I recalled the order Zhuge Mu-hu solved and steadily moved the clock hands. After a while, I finally managed to adjust the seventh hand to its last position.

Ding ding –

Suddenly, the golden pocket watch shone brightly.

The bright light rendered everything unseeable. It feels like I could lose my mind if it keeps going for much longer.

Crack!

I found myself in an unknown wasteland. There was nothing around—a barren landscape.

‘Where is this…?’

Could this be the location where the Alchemist Kaliostro arrived at the Hidden Piece?

Moments later, a voice echoed.

[Greetings, Reborn Person Baek Woong. I am Faust.]

“`

 

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